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Dunwich, England
Dunwich is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England, on the North Sea coast. Dunwich has been identified as a possible location of Dommoc, the capital of Kingdom of the East Angles, although there are other possibilities. At its height it was an international port similar in size to 14th-century London. Its decline began in 1286 when a storm surge hit the East Anglian coast followed by a great storm in 1287 and another great storm also in 1287, and it was eventually reduced in size to the village it is today. The harbor and most of the town have since disappeared due to coastal erosion. Dunwich is somewhat famous for the nine churches that, over the course of centuries, have all fallen into the sea. The population of the civil parish at the 2001 census was 84, which increased to 183 according to the 2011 Census. Dunwich in "Nine Drowned Churches" Intrigued by the horror that came to Dunwich, Massachusetts in the early 20th century,That is Not Dead, loc 3450, 3461, ebook. the musician Alistair decided to research Dunwich, England.Ibid., loc 3484. He learned that it was more than a thousand years old, at one time housing the kings of East Anglia. St. Felix of Burgundy came to restore Christianity in the seventh century, even crowning Sigebert as king of East Anglia. He also learned of the legend that three holy crowns were buried along the coast to ward off invasion, and that one of these crowns is supposed to be Sigebert's.Ibid. Alistair learned that at one time, Dunwich boasted nine churches, but that storms, crumbling cliffs, and the sea have sent the churches into the North Sea in the last several centuries. However, Alistair discovered certain old books that hinted something less natural was responsible for drowning the churches. He also read the folklore that said that church bells can be heard tolling under the sea, an idea Alistair used in a song.Ibid., loc. 3496. Alistair became convinced that Cthulhu was somehow responsible for the loss of the churches, although he had no idea why Cthulhu did this, or if he could even understand the reasons if he did know.Ibid., loc 3568. Consumed by his theory, Alistair returned to the UK, and did further research at the British Museum.Ibid., loc. 3568. Using Southwold as a home base, he drove to Dunwich. He first noticed as he approached Dunwich that the sunlight seemed both duller and more metallic, an effect he noticed in Massachusetts.Ibid., pg. 3472. His first stop was at a small museum. The owner gave Alistair a tour. During the tour, Alistair noticed a small crucifix allegedly from the time of St. Felix with strange markings. When he inquired about the markings, the owner suggested that they might be octopus tentacles to reference the fact that St. Felix came from the sea. The owner pointed out other exhibits had the tentacle motif.Ibid. loc., 3508-3520. At the end of the tour, Alistair thanked the owner, who introduced himself as Silas Bishop. As "Bishop" was a family name Alistair had found in Massachusetts, Alistair asked if there were any Whateleys in England (as there were in Massachusetts). Silas Bishop confirmed that there were, noting that Benedict Whateley was bishop of Dunwich in the fourteenth century when most of the town was sent into the sea by storms. Bishop directed Alistair to a restaurant called the Cliff House, owned by Sebastian Whateley, an indirect descendant of the bishop's.Ibid., loc. 3520-3533. Alistair followed Silas Bishop's advice and had a pleasant meal at the Cliff House. He met Sebastian Whateley, who bore certain physical resemblances to the Massachusetts Whateleys. Sebastian Whateley gave directions Alistair to the beach.Ibid., loc. 3533. Here, he hired a fisherman named Ralph Hoadley (Hoadley was another name Alistair found in Massachusetts) to take him out over the drowned churches.Ibid., loc. 3544-3557. During the trip, Alistair inquired about the rumors that it wasn't just the storms that swept Dunwich into the sea, but Hoadley seemed reserved. When Alistair asked whether the name Great Cthulhu was known in Dunwich, Hoadley allowed that it was known, but seldom spoken. Hoadley also shared the story about the divers who explored the churches a few years prior. They'd laughed at the name Cthulhu. One of them, a woman, was killed when a large octopus pulled her face plate off. (Alistair knew of the ill-fated dive, but had not known the person killed was a woman, or the specific circumstances of her death.)Ibid., loc 3580. When they reached the right spot, Hoadley turned off the engine, and Alistair began looking into the sea. He could see the remains of churches.Ibid., loc 3593-3606. Suddenly, the sound of church bell tolling came from beneath the water.Ibid., 3606. After an initial expression of shock, Hoadley calmly went to sleep, and despite numerous efforts, Alistair could not wake him up.Ibid., loc 3606-3618. He returned his attention to the water. He saw, emerging from the doorway of a fairly intact church building, the largest octopus Alistair had ever seen or imagined. They stared at each other for a time. Alistair thought he saw a glint of sardonic wisdom in the octopus's eyes. Moreover, Alistair thought he saw a crown atop the octopus's head before it retreated back out of sight.Ibid., 3618-3630. Once the octopus vanished, Hoadley abruptly woke up (he didn't appear to know he'd been asleep), and took Alistair back to the shore. Alistair never shared what he'd seen with anyone. He slipped a few hints into some of his songs, but ultimately, no one followed up on these hints. References Category:English Cities Category:Nine Drowned Churches